Thus the Sweetness Fades
by Gusha
Summary: A Harry/Cho one-shot. Takes place at the very beginning of Harry's fifth year.


Disclaimer: JK Rowlings owns Harry Potter and whatever imaginary love he holds for Cho. Oh, how sweet. Plus she owns pretty much everything else.  
  
A/N – This was originally written as part of Inverted Enemy, but it doesn't quite fit. Since I REALLY do not like the Harry/Cho ship, I am not planning to do anything else with it. (Sorry to all you HP/CC people.) Therefore I am presenting it as a one shot.   
  
*****  
  
Harry entered the library looking for Hermione. It was nearly deserted so close to curfew.  
  
A few Ravenclaw first years were studying fervently at a central table. Harry peered into the hidden recesses and study desks. No Hermione.  
  
He approached the last possible hiding place, and stopped suddenly a short distance away. He could see that the table was occupied. There were robes showing beneath it.  
  
There was a soft moaning and sniffling sound coming from behind the tall wooden privacy screen.  
  
Harry hesitated. Was it Hermione? Why would she be crying there? Should he find out, or just leave?  
  
He peeked over the top of the partition. It was not Hermione. The hair was long, sleek and very black.   
  
The girl had her arms folded in front of her and her head down. Her shoulders shook with sobs.  
  
Harry was about to retreat when he recognized the hunched figure. Cho Chang.  
  
Harry's first impulse was to leave quickly. His second was to offer comfort. He stood out of sight for a few moments while the two impulses warred within him.   
  
Finally he rounded the desk and stood beside her.   
  
"Cho?" Harry said softly.  
  
"Go away." She mumbled, not looking up.  
  
"Um… no. I don't think I will." Harry replied, sitting in the second chair, and thus blocking her escape.  
  
Cho looked up at him, tears still shining in her eyes. "What do you want, Potter?" She asked, frowning at him.  
  
"I thought… I mean…" Harry struggled with the words. "Well… you and Cedric were close." He looked away from her. "I suppose I thought you might like to talk a bit." He looked around, at the ceiling, out the window, at the titles of nearby books, anywhere but at Cho.  
  
He dug a clean handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to her. She took it. Harry waited for a few moments.  
  
"I'll go if you would rather." He offered.  
  
"That's all right, Potter." Cho sighed deeply. "We studied here. Cedric was tutoring me in History of Magic."  
  
Harry looked at her and nodded.  
  
She continued. "He was so happy, so full of life. He was proud to be representing the school. I don't think he was even upset to be one of two Hogwarts champions."  
  
"He wasn't, actually." Harry said. "Crouch made the cup believe there was a fourth school in the competition. Cedric really was the Hogwarts Champion."  
  
"But…" Cho's voice drifted off.  
  
"We didn't know until… after." Harry explained.  
  
"Oh." She digested the information.  
  
"I did not put myself forward to be the champion." Harry said." Cedric and I helped each other all along. He was caring, fair and strong. Even at the end of the maze. We decided to take the cup together. It was as much his idea as mine. Cedric was noble."  
  
"Thank you for telling me that, Harry." Cho wiped her eyes again. "I miss him. It was not as bad at home, but there are so many memories here at school."  
  
Harry draped his arm awkwardly around her shoulder and patted her arm. "Let me know if you want to talk again." He offered. "I did not know him well, but his death hit me hard. Along with everything else."  
  
Cho nodded and leaned her head on his shoulder, breathing unevenly.  
  
Harry took a deep breath. "I blamed myself at first, you know. Despite everyone telling me I shouldn't. The trap was laid for me, after all. I led Cedric into it."  
  
"Cedric would not have held you at fault, Harry. Neither do I really." She pulled away and Harry retracted his arm.  
  
"I came to realize that. I had quite a bit of time to think it over this summer. It does not make me less sorrowful for his death. Just less guilty and more determined to be like him; to honor his memory."  
  
Cho nodded. A bell rang, signaling the warning for curfew.   
  
"I am glad I got to talk to you, Harry." Cho said.  
  
Harry got up to let her out.  
  
As she was walking away, Harry called out. "If you want, you could join Hermione, Ron and me when we study History of Magic."  
  
Cho shook her head. "That was just an excuse to see him." She confessed. "My marks are fine."  
  
Harry watched her go. It was not until much later that he realized that the personal feelings he once had for her had faded into distant friendship.  
  
*****  
  
A/N - Well, how was that? Gusha will be rather disappointed if there is not a similar scene in OotP. She dislikes this ship almost as much as I do. sadilou doesn't think it stands on its own, so we are sticking our collective tongue out at her. What good is a secondary reader, if you can't ignore her once in a while? 


End file.
